Thread

1. jcomp · 1790380573 · focus · HN ↗

   There is an effectively unlimited supply of people willing to take sums of money to work on anti-human endeavors, so long as they and theirs are not the humans involved.

   1. quietmonkey · 1790381181 · focus · HN ↗

      There is not an unlimited supply of unpatriotic people, no.

      1. frankohn · 1790408382 · focus · HN ↗

         Patriotic thinking is brainwashing we got very deeply by our society and the source of a lot of violence and problems.

         Patriotism, like religion, is used to draw artificial separation between "us" and "them" and initiate violence against "them".

         1. atoav · 1790410620 · focus · HN ↗

            That is traditionally thought of as the line between Patriotism and Nationalism. One often used example is that a patriot wants what is good for the country, while a nationalist wants what makes the country look good. Patriots will do things that make their country look bad if it improves the country or helps the people within it, nationalists will avoid doing that and rather wave the flag and try to hide the problem.

            However I wouldn't call anything on the American political right patriotic and even their Nationalism appears hollow, as many of their political measures actively hurt the standing and appearance of the Nation. If anything they are just marks of a political grift.

            1. soupbowl · 1790437235 · focus · HN ↗

               Interesting, Canada is very nationalistic then. Makes sense though with a large portion of its elderly consuming government funded news.
         2. afpx · 1790436920 · focus · HN ↗

            Patriotism is the attachment one feels toward one’s homeland.

            Personally, the place where I grew up: the geography, people, and culture are permanently etched into my identity. So, yes in a sense it is brainwashing - but driven by biology.

            Unfortunately, the rulers always want to deconstruct individuals and groups into fungible mechanical parts that can be used by the machine that continues their reign and authority.

            Yes, I can separate myself from my past, but it sure doesn’t feel good. Why do we continue to sacrifice the life satisfaction of the small and weak to only give greater satisfaction to the powerful? Have so many become a product of this corrupted system, that their homelands no longer matter to them?

            1. vld_chk · 1790460162 · focus · HN ↗

               It is very well studied that the entire concept of “nation”, “homeland” and thus patriotism in the modern way began to develop only at the late 19th century with the adoption of mass media and railways.

               Hundreds of thousand of years before this people were loyal to their family (not always) and their community (village, city, craftsmanship, etc.).

               If you ever travel to 18th century and ask any ordinary European are they proud to be, say, French or British, they will not get you.

               1. afpx · 1790466683 · focus · HN ↗

                  I think we're using different definitions of patriotism. I looked it up, and it said "homeland" not "nation". Homeland generally means region. I think what the parent meant was nationalism.

                  Either way, I don't care about the 'nation' all that much (although constitutional free speech rights are very important - arguably a major factor of what's holding the world together at this point). But, I definitely care about where I grew up, the region, the homeland.

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